Review: The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith (JK Rowling)

Nicola Adam

An army veteran, he has retired with injury to spend time with his remaining limbs and set up a private detective business.

But after an explosive end to his relationship with his beautiful, demanding, girlfriend he finds himself homeless, living in his office and facing a sky-high pile of bills and imminent failure.

Then into his life walks Robyn, his new temp, and a would-be client with a murder on his mind.

This work is JK Rowling at her finest.

Writing as Robert Galbraith, in Strike she has created a compelling and endlessly interesting character that both baffles and stretches the emotions.

As his story is gradually uncovered you want to know more - this is a masterclass in building a fictional character and balancing it with another.

Robyn is fittingly Robin to Strike’s Batman and in the best spirit of Holmes and Watson they complete each other as an investigative unit - filling in for each other’s inadequacies.

Built into an intriguing and apparently unsolvable crime (was there even a crime?) it pushes all the buttons of a great murder mystery and stars models, rap stars, fashion designers and the very worst of upper class society plus touches on racism, poverty and corruption within the establishment.

I always know a good book by my ability to re-read it and I have completed this several times, more than justifying the KIndle fee.

It is above all a damn good story and one I would heartily recommend. The follow-up is too - The Silkworm - which I will review at a later date.

As a murder and thriller-loving reader who still comfort skims the masterpieces that make up the Harry Potter series but wasn’t quite as convinced by The Casual Vacancy (perfectly enjoyable but haven’t re-read it), I would heartily recommend.